Universal open-heel dive fin replacement heel strap

Abstract

A dive fin replacement heel strap for use on open-foot pocket dive fins having a mounting device on each side of the fin to secure the fins onto a user's foot. The strap is made of an elongate elastic material and has a predetermined width (W). It has a plurality of orifices of a predetermined opening size (D), positioned on the elongate elastic material. There is a tab on the end of the elongate elastic material. The tab has a solid flexible lip around its periphery which has a width greater than W and a height greater than D. There is an indent in the upper horizontal surface and in the lower horizontal surface of the elongate elastic material adjacent to the tab. The orifices are adapted to attached to a mounting device of a dive fin. The tab is adapted to pass through a mounting device of a dive fin and to pass through an orifice and lock in place thereat.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, application Ser. No. 10 / 176,297 filed on Jun. 18, 2002, now abandoned.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]None.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention relates to a new and improved universal dive fin replacement heel strap that can be used as a replacement strap on most conventional dive fins having an open foot pocket and knobs, metal pins, or female buckling system protruding from the outer sides as a means of attachment. More particularly, the invention relates to a simple, adjustable, economical heel strap that has no buckling mechanisms, and may be kept in reserve for the occasion when the straps or buckles that are supplied with the dive fins need to be replaced. This new and unique universal dive fin heel strap could be supplied separately in many bright colors or featured on new dive fins.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]Swimming has ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]The present invention accomplishes its desired objects by creating a device that can be manufactured easily as a single elastic unit with no additional parts and can be vacuum-wrapped on small display cards. The manufacturing materials may be of an elastromeric rubbers or a variety of thermo-plastic elastomers, urethanes, or other flexible rubber-like materials, and will conform to a variety of conventional forms of manufacturing, like injection molding and casting processes. With the size and simplicity of this product it can be manufactured in many bright and striking colors to add an additional component to its unique features.

Problems solved by technology

Often these straps and buckles are expensive and hard to find with most distributors preferring to sell a new pair of fins, and swimmers not having the convenience of carrying a spare set of straps for their fins.

Another difficulty presented by the straps after a period of time is the metal buckles will cut the rubber straps at the gripping area or the metal buckles will chafe the ankles of the swimmer; or the plastic buckles can be broken or lost.

Several inventors have endeavored to patent new and improved heel straps for the open heel or strap style of fins but most are complicated adding to their expense, time it takes to effect a replacement, and generally retaining some form of buckling mechanism.

Although this strap structure does not incorporate a buckling system, it is designed for a specific type of swim fins, and will not fit other manufacturers swim fins in that it does not make use of the knobs on the sides of most common swim fins.

Although this patent makes use of the conventional knobs and buckling attachment mechanism, it could possibly be seen as a universal swim fin strap, but it would be difficult to store a spare set because it is comprise of several types of buckling systems along with a complicated heel supporting structure.

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